Target-trap.



PATBNTED MAR. 3, 1903.

W. W. McQUEEN. TARGET TRAP.

APPLIGATION P1221) SEPT. 29, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES ATTORNEY No. 722.132. PATENTED MAR. 3, 1903.

W. W. MOQUEEN- TARGET TRAP; APPLIOATIION FILED 812F129, 1902.

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WITNESSES: %G,ZLWJNVENTOR ATTORNEY THE NORRIS warms coworo-umouwsnlumou, u. c,

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WILLIAM IV. MCQUEEN, OF BAY CITY, MICHIGAN.

TARG ET-TRAP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 722,132, dated March 3,1903.

Application filed eptember 29, 1902. Serial No. 125,240. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may col 2.007%:

Be it known that I,\VILLIAM 11V. MCQUEEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Bay City, in the county of Bay and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in TargetTraps; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention is a target apparatus, and relates more particularly tomeans for consecutively bringing inanimate or flying target traps intoposition and discharging them.

The object of the invention is to provide means wherebya number ofsingle-shot traps can be fired in rapid succession from one point withthe same effect as is obtained when using a so-called magazine trap.Single-shot traps are less liable to break the fragile targets or bluerocks-a serious defect in magazinetrapsand the accuracy and force offlight which is a prominent advantage of single-shot traps'is retainedin my arrangement.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichFigure 1 is a top plan view of the device with the inner or stationaryplatform removed. Fig. 2 is asectional elevation on the line so of Fig.1, the trap-firing device being somewhat enlarged. Fig. 3 is a sectionalelevation showing the stationary platform and movable ring with thetraps and operating mechanism removed. Fig. 4. is a partsectional detailof the firing mechanism.

As is clearly shown in the drawings, the device consists in a horizontalannular ring or platform 1, revolubly mounted 011 a circular track 2 bymeans of wheels 3. Upon this platform is mounted a number offlying-target or blue-rock traps 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8. For the purpose ofillustration I have shown five single-shot traps mounted on the ring 1;but a greater or less number may be used, if desired. It is evident thatrevolving the ring 1 will bring the traps 5, 6, 7, and 8 consecutivelyinto the firing position which the trap 4 occupies, and the targets 5,6, and 7 can be consecutively discharged from this position. The flightof the targets may be toward any part of the field-as to the right,tothe left,

or straight away. The direction of flight is regulated by the commonpivotal base adjustment provided in all traps of this kind. In thedrawings trap No. 4-. is set to discharge to the right. Nos. 5 and 7discharge straight away. No. 6 discharges to the left and No. 8 to theright; but the operator can set them at any angle unknown to themarksman.

Within the ring 1 is mounted a fixed platform 9, upon which theattendant sits while loading the traps. Being in the center of thecircle of traps he is in a convenient position to pull back the arm 8 ofthe trap to be loaded and to place the target thereon. After the trap 8is loaded and the trap 4: is discharged the ring 1 revolves to the left,bringing the trap 8 into the position previously occupied by trap 7,bringing trap 4 into position for loading, and bringing trap 5 intofiring position. In order to insure that the traps shall each stop inthe proper firing position,I pro vide upon the ring 1 a suitable stop,which may be made in various forms, although I have found it convenientto provide projections 10 on the ring 1 and a spring 11 independent ofthe ring to engage the projection 10 and hold it in position by means ofthe curved or hooked end 11 The discharging of the trap and therevolving of the ring 1 are accomplished by an operator who stands atthe firing-station ready to obey the signal of the marksman.

The mechanism which I prefer to employ for first discharging the trapand then moving a new trap into position is illustrated in Figs. 2 and4, where 12 is the target-cord passing down through the base of the trapand secured to one end of the target-lever 12, which is mounted by meansof a pivot 12 upon the under side of the ring 1. The other end 12 of thelever extends back in the line of movement of the ring 1. Raising theend 12 of the firing-lever discharges the trap, and the end 12 is raisedby means of the bevellatch 13, that slides horizontally on the face of atable 14. below the end 12 of the firinglever when the trap is inposition to be discharged. The arrangement of the latch 13 and themagazine which operates it is shown in Fig. 4, where 15 is a spring thatnormally holds the latch 13 out of the path of the firing-leverswhilethe ring 1 is being revolved.

When the spring 11 has engaged the projection 10 and holds the platform,the latch 13 maybe forced under the end 12 of the firinglever, therebyraising it. A vertical trigger 16 engages a notch 13 in the bottom ofthe latch 13 and draws the latch forward when the firing-cord 17 ispulled. Upon reaching the position shown in the dotted lines in Fig. 4the latch 13 is released from the point of the trigger 16 and the latchfiies back to its original position. As soon as the firing-cord 17 isreleased the spring 18 draws it back until it again engages the notch 13To revolve the ring 1 so as to bring the traps consecutively intoposition, I provide a horizontal arm 19, pivoted at the center of thering 1 and so arranged that its outer end may engage the beveled lugs 20carried by the ring 1. The spring 19 returns the arm 19 to its originalposition after it has been pulled forward by the ring-operating cord 21.

In order to both discharge the trap and move the ring so as to bring thenew trap into position for firing and to accomplish this by a singlepull of one operating-cord, I attach the end of the ring-operating cordto the trigger-cord 17, and from their point of attachment I run themain operating-cord 22 to the firing-station. A spring 17, havingsufficient stiifness to operate the trigger-lever without yielding, buthaving considerable extensibility, is inserted in the length of thetrigger-cord 17. Pulling the cord first discharges the trap, since thepull required for the trigger is not sufficient to stretch the spring 17and then a continued pull of the same cord stretches the spring 17bringing the cord 21 taut and revolving the ring by overcoming theresistance of the yielding spring 19. \Vhen the next projection 10reaches the hook 11", the latter engages it and resists continuedmovement of the ring 1. Releasing the cord 22 permits the spring 19 toreturn the lever 19 and its operatingcord to their original positions.

By the means above described I have produced a target-dischargingapparatus adapted to rapidly discharge a succession of single-shot trapsfrom one firing position and requiring only one attendant to adjust andload the traps. The traps are fired from the marksmans station and thenew trap is brought into firing position by a single pull of thefiring-cord. The same movement brings the discharged trap in front ofthe loading attendant, who has only to spring back the arm of the trapand place the target thereon.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isas follows:

1. In a target-discharging apparatus a revoluble platform; a pluralityof target-traps mounted thereon; means for revolving said platform tobring the traps successively into the predetermined firing position; anda stop in operative relation to the platform to arrest its rotation whenthe trap has reached the firing position.

2. In atarget-dischargingapparatusarevoluble platform; a plurality oftarget-traps mounted thereon; means for revolving said platform to bringthe traps successively into the predetermined firing position; and meansfor automatically locking the platform while discharging the traps.

3. In a target-discharging apparatusa fixed platform; a revolubleannular platform surrounding said fixed platform; a plurality oftarget-traps mounted on said annular platform and means for revolvingsaid annular platform to bring successive traps into position forfiring.

4. In a target-discharging apparatus; a revoluble platform; a pluralityof target-traps mounted thereon; a firing-cord leading to the marksmansstation; and means attached to said cord for first discharging a trapand then revolving said platform to bring another trap into position forfiring.

5. Atarget-discharging apparatus comprising in combination a fixedplatform; a revoluble annular platform surrounding said fixed platform;a circular track; Wheels secured to said annular platform and running onsaid track; aplurality of target-traps mounted on the circular platform;a firing-lever for each trap secured to said annular platform; means foractuating said firing-lever from the marksmans station; and means forrevolving the annular platform to bring successive traps into positionfor firing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM W. MCQUEEN.

Witnesses:

JAMES C. HANSON, FRANK MARTINDAL.

